Sheriff Seeks Further Information on Child Sex Suspect

RUSK – The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is seeking help in its investigation of a man arrested on child sex charges. Officials are asking parents who have concerns about any of their children who have stayed with or visited Thomas E. Scroggins at his home to contact the sheriff’s office and provide that information to one of the investigators. If a child has been to the Scroggins residence and makes statements to a parent, guardian, friend, or counselor, officials urge parents not to question the child in depth about the contact, and to contact an investigator with that information. The sheriff’s office says interviews will then be scheduled to speak to the child about the situation.

According to a news release from the sheriff’s office, “We understand, as parents and law enforcement, how difficult it may be to resist wanting to know all the details and will work diligently to identify other potential victims; however, we do not want to compromise the criminal investigation with influenced information from the victims if or when they come forward. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.”

The sheriff’s office reported Monday that detectives had executed a search warrant Friday at Scroggins’s home on Lake Road in the Shady Brook subdivision near Bullard and arrested the 25-year-old. Scroggins was jailed on $102,000 bond on two counts of indecency with a child and one count of displaying harmful material to a minor. At the time of his arrest, Scroggins was employed with the Frankston ISD Maintenance Department. He also attended a Frankston church and was involved with Little League Baseball in that community. Cherokee County detectives have made contact with Frankston ISD and the church he attended to make them aware of the ongoing investigation so they could make a determination on his status with them upon his release from Cherokee County.

The investigation into Scroggins began when an alleged victim claimed inappropriate conduct by Scroggins toward that person and two others. Officials say other victims were also identified. An initial interview with Scroggins after his arrest indicated there may be other victims who have not come forward or been identified. Each of the incidents in question reportedly occurred at or near Scroggins’s residence in Shady Brook. Officials say further details of the investigation cannot be released due the involvement of children.